06.29.2006

The day started with a tremendous thunderstorm. Driving rain, booming thunder, branches struck by lightening, hail. Boy was to work at the orchard, but it was called off due to rain. By 9 AM, the rain was moving out. By 10 AM, there was sun. Took the kids to chess club at the nature preserve and went in to the office to push out some work. Picked up the spawn, took the kids to ketsuka, knit during their class. It was muggy and hot. Raining at home, but not in the town their class was in. DH stayed home and rested his aching ribs, but missed us, so showed up at the end of class and treated us to a DQ cone. Mmm.

More knitting at home. Shawl is growing - from the floor it is as tall as my chest. Did I say? I am well into my third skein of yarn.

Jessegirl came home tired but happy. In spite of the heat and humidity and working a nearly full day at the barn, she rode pretty well. Out of the twenty or so people in her classes, she placed 5th and 6th and got two ribbons. Her old trainer was also at the show and refused to acknowledge her existence - pretty professional, don't ya think? Out of a class of eight other riders, her old trainer didn't even place.

I'm back on the $%^#&*@! bike, doing 100 crunches a day and yoga. Down 4 pounds.

06.28.2006

DH and I went in and pushed out a couple of days work in a few hours. The sun poked out a little after three and we were out of there. We took a ride, in the sun, and it felt so #$@^%&* good . Oh, joy.

Came home and knit more of the shawl. Chugging along.

Jesse girl has a big show tomorrow. She's a little nervous.

Rain moving in now. Sigh . . .

06.28.2006

Yup, broken rib. Number eight. No sparring for six weeks. Most likely, no workout as well for nearly that long.

It's grey and thunderstormy, but there's a rumor we'll get sun this afternoon. We're all so hungry for sun that everyone has a slightly crazed look in their eye.

06.27.2006

It's been raining. So Long. It's warm, and muggy, and wet, and we're all calling it the rainforest. And there's no sun. Everyone is getting bitchy and snarly because they. NEED. SUN. 5 days of rain. After eight days of rain. And seven days of rain was before that. We're looking at all you in New Mexico and Arizona with envy, pure unadulterated envy.

I think DH broke a rib or two tonight, sparring. He got kicked real good and doubled up so quickly that it worried me. The guy he was sparring was so quick, I didn't see him tag DH. He's being stubborn and won't go see the doctor - well, OK, it's late so it would have to be the emergency room. Four hours in the 'vet hospital'. I've extracted a promise that he'll go to the doctor if he isn't better tomorrow morning.

There's a chance of sun tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

06.26.2006

Oh, Pooh, DH is taking our charming guest back up to college today. Oh, well, I guess we can't keep her forever - she does have her own life, after all. We've all enjoyed having her around - we're hoping she comes back before too long.

And, she's picked a color for me to knit her a shawl. A very bright yarn. I think it's called MardiGras - but I'll have to look it up, And she doesn't mind that she'll not get it until fall, or thereabouts.

06.25.2006

We celebrated Jessegirl's birthday today (she was tired on her actual birthday and had worked late). In spite of the constant rain, we grilled and then had a four-layer from scratch birthday cake accompanied by raucous singing and much jolliment - to go along with watching Pirates of the Carribean.

I've been knitting more of the shawl, but am getting close to running out of yarn. Typical knitter's story. I'll post a picture of shawl progress in a day or so.

06.24.2006

Late this afternoon, we had a brief respite from the rain:



Another set of thunderstorms are moving in over the mountain, they'll hit us in an hour or two



The sun peeks from behind the clouds just long enough to drop behind the mountain and then below the horizon

06.22.2006

Spent the day driving 4+ hours up to NH and then another 4+ hours back to pick up the delightful Miss Becky, DH's niece who had agreed at her parent's anniversary party to come visit us for a spell on her break from classes. We get to spend time with her until Sunday afternoon!

Along the way, I passed a four truckers who had pulled over to the side of the road and were apparently intent on killing - or at the very least, maiming - each other. There was broken glass, extremely large, muscle-bound men brandishing pry bars as tall as me and meth-head girlfriends shrieking and spitting at the truckers who weren't their boyfriends.

And, of course, further up the road the obligatory roll-over accidents, trucks lying on their sides, crushed and splintered campers, crumpled SUVs and firemen. After I say a quick prayer for the unfortunates, I always feel terribly guilty for my rush of gratitude that it wasn't me.

Somehow, with Becky beside me on the way back home, the trip seemed so much shorter. She's such a nice person, and quite interesting as well.

06.21.2006

My first baby, darling Jesse girl turns 20 today.

Here she is, eleven years ago

















And here she is, now

She is strong-willed, self-confident and assured. She works hard and has a way with horses (and most other animals). She is very good at selling, at networking and at writing, although she hates to write. She's imaginative, compassionate and very focussed. She sometimes treats her siblings like wayward horses, but she is mostly kind to them. She continues to be primarily self-taught, choosing to learn on her own, in her own way, rather than in groups and by rote. If she wants something, she figures out how to get it, the right way. She is moral, ethical and tries her best to live by the Golden Rule. She still cuddles up to me, gives me great hugs and sweet kisses on my cheek. Sometimes, after a long day at work, she'll just lean into me, like she did when she was little. She still talks to me, 'tho' less now than she used to.

Before I became pregnant with her, I dreamed of a baby like her, but I never dared hope I would have one. The first time I held her in my arms I was overwhelmed with such an intense and fierce love - I did not know it was possible to love anyone that way or that strongly. I have loved raising her, teaching her, living with her, watching her grow and learn. I am so proud of her and I love her so much. I wish and hope for the best for her, for her to find and nurture a good love, to be happy, to give back to this world, to grow and learn all of her days and to spread joy and peace in her path.

Happy Birthday, Jessebear!

06.19.2006

Chugging along on the shawl. Don't see any bleeps yet, knock on wood. Still haven't figured out who it will be for . . .

6.18.2006

Yesterday was my brother-and-sister-in-law's 35th wedding anniversary. DH and I had to work until 1:30 (yes, I know it was a Saturday - but even lawyers have to work on weekends sometimes) and then we took off after checking out the Weather Channel. It had rained all morning, but stopped at about noon, and then there were only intermittent sprinkly showers after that. The family party was up in New Hampshire, which was supposed to be lovely, sunny and hot (yippee!). After we got north about an hour, we were out of the rain and then the sun broke out near Boston. We got up there around 4:30 and the party was still going, so we got to spend some much needed downtime with family. Here are DH's sister and her DH, dancing. Aren't they cute?

DH played whiffle ball and frisbee with his now adult (eek!) nephews, niece, our kids and his great nieces. The children played together and swam and had a great time.

We all hung around and talked and ate and I got to knit until it got too dark to see. Jesse left around 8ish with her sibs for home as she had to be at work early in the morning and DH and I stayed the night in the blissful couple's camping trailer. DH now has camper envy. Hmm. We headed back mid-morning and got home in the afternoon, and it was blissfully hot and sunny all the way down. How delightful!

Everytime we get together for family time, for a wedding or a funeral, we all enjoy it so much that we swear we'll do it again, real soon. Then life gets in the way and we only meet up at the next wedding or funeral. Sometimes, sometimes I wish we lived closer. Spending time with DH's family also makes me miss my sister and brother all the more.

Spoiling

Life has been a little challenging lately. Don't worry - there'll be no whining today. And don't get me wrong - I am very, so very grateful for my family and that we are all alive and reasonably healthy. I think when things get really difficult, even downright unpleasant or scary, it's important to focus on what one has to be grateful for. Because, as bad as it may seem or actually be - it can always get worse, so much worse, so quickly. I'm just prefacing, because I was feeling a little whipped, a little emotional today, and just when I was feeling quite forlorn, there was a little knock at the door. Ronnie had run back up from Jesse's car before the girls all left for ice cream to bring me a package. A box. For me. From my Secret Pal!!!!!!!!!!!

DH had gone out with Neighbor for some non-chick time, the girls had gone to the store for ice cream to make shakes, and Boy was in his room, chatting with his Norwegian pals. I was all alone. I opened my package and just looked at the mysterious, tissue wrapped items. I savored the suspense for a moment, then I opened the lovely, artistic card.

Secret Pal wrote me a thoughtful little note, and then wrapped individually some Dagoba dark chocolate, lovely size two wooden double pointeds, a skein of beautiful Lana Grossa self-patterning sock yarn and a charming sock book with some beautiful patterns. I've just propped them up on the table and I am looking at them, drinking them in. Thank you so much, Secret Pal!

06.11.2006

The sun came out today. It was sovery windy and chilly - low 50's - but so nice to see the sun. And the sky was so blue, it hurt.

DH and Bubba trekked on up North two hours to visit with his brother's family. They had a good time, playing basketball in the driveway and hiking through the woods, getting covered in woodticks (yuck!). They only just got home.

Jesse had the day off, so we got to spend the first half of the day with her which was a rare treat, and then she took off for some girl time (read manicure and pedicure) with Ronnie (Veronica). Later, they'll be at yet another redneck bonfire.

Boy and I found a desk for him and brought it home, cleaned his room, moved his bed and dragged the heavy desk up the stairs, in the house and down the hall to his bedroom. He got his computer hooked up and everything arranged while I cleaned all my possessions out of what was my car and is now Jesse's.

Then just he and I made a delightful dinner out of fresh, crusty bread, olive oil, olives and dry salami. We sat across from each other and chatted, and an hour passed without us noticing. Gosh, I like my boy!

Too tired to knit. Off to bed with me . . .

06.08.2006

What you see here is the product of a week's worth of knitting. Looks like it, doesn't it? After running out of Iceland, I picked up a shawl I had started last year and worked on it all week. Then, tonight, I looked at it and saw four (!) gaps in the knitting, after going through one and one half skeins and having knitted over three feet of shawl. They weren't dropped stitches - I must have done something weird. So, I ripped the bloody thing out and restarted it. I've got a whopping two inches to show for all week. Errgh!

06.05.2006

I've gotten as far as I can get on Jessegirl's capelet . . . now I wait while the Yarn Goddess does a skein search. No more knitting on it until I can come up with more Iceland, although, if I had finished it this week, Jesse could have worn it. With the near constant rain, temperatures have dropped. I am looking longingly at the thermostat, thinking of heat, but the thought of paying yet more to the fuel company keeps me from turning it on. Still, I dream of wood fires and a warm house (or, more daring, yet so seasonally appropriate - sun and warmth), while I burrow under polarfleece and snuggle with the cats, or occasionally, a child.

6.2.2006

I have picked up Jessegirl's capelet and am working on it again, although, with the sudden jump from New England spring into summer from Monday through Thursday, it has not been quite so pleasant knitting with Iceland. I have found myself sweating just holding the wool this week. Not to worry, though, as this is New England (and my seasonal affective husband's birthday today), the barometer dropped along today with the thermometer and rain has moved in for the next three days. Yippee. NOT.

And, of course, finishing this project is complicated by the fact that it not only appears that I do not have enough blasted yarn to finish it, but also that there is no more of that color at my LYS. The Yarn Goddess has offered to do a skein search for me as the manufacturer of the yarn only allows minimum orders of $100.00. Yes, I did gauge swatch - but for the original pattern, which turned out to be designed for either an eight-year-old girl or a heroin junkie, because those are the only bodies which could squeeze into the excessively narrow capelet. But, we don't have to go there again.

I am also eyeing DH's sweater, lying forlornly on the top of the stash basket. And then I had a brilliant idea today while avoiding looking at the beginnings of his sweater. I could knit Little Miss Julia those guantlets she wanted. Yes, that's a good idea!

I don't know why I am so desperate to avoid knitting that sweater. It is supposed to be a very simple pattern - ideal for first-time sweater knitters. And it looks quite nice, the sweater on the model. I don't know - I guess there's just so much psychology tied up in knitting your man something bigger than a hat. Or a headband. Or a scarf.